[the 'stache]

Thank you, guys.

Chuck, believe me, I am being very careful. The temptation is there, of course, to overdo it...I have visions of a six pack dancing in my head (and not the kind with a pull tab!), because not only will that mean I've arrived at my destination, and my core is as strong as it can be, but that I'll be dating again, because I'm completely happy with my appearance. Five years of lying around is a lot to counteract, but I'm making great progress. Just 2.5 more inches until I'm back at my 32" waistline, which is where I was in college. Back then, I was playing basketball 6 hours a day, so that's as good as I can get.

Hang in there. The first steps are the hardest. I had really terrible T levels, so bad that my physician got me on testosterone cypionate. If anything, I felt like I had too much. But tests don't lie. I had a slight vitamin D deficiency, and since bone density is so important for me, we upped the daily intake of that and calcium to the max levels. I'll be re-tested here in another month, or so, and I'm expecting my levels have normalized. The weight training will help with bone density, too.

Take it one day at a time. Little steps are not immediately satisfying, but a bunch of them will get you to where you need to be. I'm proof of that. I'm getting compliments again when I go out, and that's the best positive reinforcement there is. When I see an attractive woman, and she smiles while making eye contact, or flirts with me while talking, that's all the further motivation I need (and much better, frankly, than getting that '34 Goudey Gehrig I want!) I'll keep you in my prayers. You will get there.